


A Dark Twist of Fate

by Estrea



Category: Gogakuyuu, Morning Musume.
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-11
Updated: 2014-01-11
Packaged: 2018-01-08 09:16:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1130858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea/pseuds/Estrea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the Bad End had happened without interruption? The direct aftermath of that climatic bloodbath scene in the play.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Dark Twist of Fate

The blood wouldn't come off.

 

Inhale, exhale; every breath was mechanical. Without having to think about it, this repeated itself. How was this possible? A part of her contemplated this, she always contemplated these things. It was easier to contemplate than the heavy scent of blood in the air, the loose grip on a nicked and splattered blade, and the cool weight of a pulsing stone between her fingers. The jewel winked in the dim light, sparking possibilities branching in every direction, the shining path drawing her forward, every step stained red.

 

The sound of sobbing pulled her back into the present; her mind had wandered in the stone's guiding light, whispering secrets best hidden from the light of day. The tortured whimpers of Daddy...Daddy... wafted into her ears, punctuated by gasping sobs in a corner directly parallel to her. Lifting dark, hooded eyes, the bloodied princess blew lightly across the surface of the stone, tickling the tips of her fingers. One more loose end to tie up.

 

And then he was by her side, her brave, loyal _simpleton_ who would slit his own throat if she commanded it. She knew he would; she had seen it happen in one of the branches the stone had shown her. Her very own fool, to use as she pleased. She would not squander so easily one whose mind was so simple however; one whose loyalty to her was so unwavering that he would wade in the blood of innocents and slaughter a whole battalion should they even threaten her. There were so few she could trust...

 

In the end, only a fool would stay by her side. Rion had left her. The stone flared in response to her spike of agitation, and even without the chant to focus her mind she caught a glimpse of a small shadow huddled under a larger one, a whisper of blood and fear lingering even as the rain beat down. She pressed the image away, anger and bitterness rising in her at the abandonment, the betrayal of the one she had entrusted her heart and soul to. Now she was gone, and nothing was left in her wake. Nothing but the murmur of the stone, the cold calm voice that whispered of hidden shames and dark desires. All lies were stripped away in the light of the stone, human nature laid bare before her. And as before, disgust flared within her, a malignant sickness that twisted her heart and laid a chill in her bones. It was a familiar companion, steadfast and trustworthy where she had no other allies, the shining light in the lies and darkness that shrouded her steps wherever she went.

 

"Hime-sama."

It was question and fealty and obedience all in one word. The simpleton she had rescued as a boy, when she was little more than a child herself, now bigger than her and loyal unto death. A simple kind gesture had earned her something even the ransom of kings could not buy.

 

The sobbing continued, disturbing her train of thought, the mesmerizing web of paths illuminated by the stone still in motion, branches snaking all about so long as the loose ends remained. She would have to put a stop to that, she supposed.

 

"Sukekiyo."

 

He kneels before her, bloodied knives in his fists. Dead bodies were visible in his wake, as well as the sobbing figure of a newly orphaned daughter. He had not killed that one because she had yet to give orders. She knows this.

 

"Take Sue to the backroom, and lock her in there. She is not to come to harm. Then come back here and attend to me."

 

He grunts his affirmative, rising and stalking over to the still shell-shocked governess, who flinched back when he reached down to pull her to her feet. She makes a feeble swing with her umbrella, but the effect on the hulking Sukekiyo was negligible at best. The big bodyguard picks up the slim governess by the scruff of her neck, much as one would pick up a disobedient puppy, and disappears into the backroom with a rustling of curtains.

 

That left her alone with the two girls she had thought were her friends just scant hours ago. How things changed. Shifting allegiances were common at court, however, and though a part of her did mourn the loss of the illusion, the cold wrapped her in its frigid embrace as she stepped on light feet towards the only one who had meant her no harm in this whole business.

 

Mira's eyes were wide open in fear and panic, her entire body trembling like a leaf as she huddled against the counter, too terrified to move. She recoiled visibly at the approach of the princess, who smiled sadly, though the gesture took on a chilling cast with the blood on her face in the flickering lamplight.

 

"Mira-chan." She tries to be gentle. It is difficult, with her eyes flat and dead of all emotion, and the knife still dripping in her hand. "You should go now. Your brother needs you."

 

_To bury him._ She did not add. She was not above lying when it suited her. The omission was necessary in this case; she needed Mira to move instead of collapsing into hysterics. That was the only kindness she could spare the girl, and she _did_ want to spare the kind-hearted girl from what was to come.

 

"You...you're letting me go?" The girl's voice quavered with emotion. Faye smiled.

 

"You meant me no harm, and I will do you none in return." The princess pauses, retracing her steps back to the cooling body of her dear unlamented uncle, reaching into his waistcoat to pull out a battered wallet stuffed with cash. She turns back to Mira, who had only just managed to get back on her feet, though every step was weak and staggered.

 

"I can't pay you back for your hospitality, so this will have to do, I suppose."

 

She presses the wallet at Mira, who tries to refuse it, flinching away from all contact with the bloody princess. Faye sighed, tossing it lightly to her instead,the peasant girl catching it on reflex and staring in shock at the princess, who had already turned away from her...

 

To face the sobbing figure of Kuria, who was weeping over her father's body. Mira tracks the princess's gaze, a stab of fear seizing her heart as she hurries forward, laying a hand on her best friend's shoulder, trying to pry her away and escape from this hellish place.

 

"Mira-chan, I told you that _you_ can go. _She_ stays, however."

 

The princess's voice was steel and ice, and Mira felt the looming presence of the princess's guard dog hover over her. Her legs failed her then, and she fell to a crouch next to her grieving best friend, trembling like a leaf.

 

"Sukekiyo, remove Mira-chan from the premises and make sure she stays out. Don't hurt her though, she was kind to me."

 

"Hai!" The huge bodyguard lifted Mira off the ground in a casual display of strength, even though she made the effort to try and hold on to Kuria. She was out of the door in less than 10 seconds and found herself staring at a barred entrance before she knew it, the finality of the door swinging shut shocking her into movement as she backpedaled away from the entrance and landed on her ass in the mud, the drizzle soaking her in an instant.

 

The rain did not explain the cold that gripped her heart however, and the blind terror that made her crawl away through the mud and dark, crying as she went because she had to get away, and because...

 

She had seen the princess smile as she walked towards the motionless Kuria, and heard the whisper that came after, even as she was being bundled out of the door by Sukekiyo.

 

_"I always keep my promises, Kuria-chan..."_

She wished she didn't remember what the princess had said earlier, but she did.

 

**_"...so, maybe I should gouge your heart out?"_ **


End file.
